Joe,
This jotting seems to be a most popular one.
Processes and your questions about it:
Yes, I have seen and worked within some excellent processes to some
excellent products. The ability to quantify why they were good is
however, elusive. They seem, like a democracy, to be only as good as the
people in them. I offer the following as personal opinions on the
elusive.
It has been my experience that when people feel that they are of value and
that their contribution can be made in a safe and receptive environment
process works best. Ego, pecking orders and controlling participants seem
to need to be eliminated or neutralized. Communication must also be clear
and all involved must have similar zeal and vision for the work being
undertaken. Processes that place equal value on the diversity of opinions
from a position of sincere respect without hidden attachment to some
personal, specific outcome also seem to serve as a nurturing cradle for
successful production.
Freedom to risk ideas and safety to fail also seems important. I once
noted that my typing speed has become tremendous since the use of a
keyboard. I pondered that this may be because errors now have little
consequence. They can be removed with the touch of a delete button. It
is just this freedom from consequence when failure occurs that seems to
increase my initial accuracy. I feel that this same freedom is necessary
for any group to work in concert to successful conclusion.
Have I seen processes misused? Indeed, in the very recent past. I found
that I was often asked to engage in processes that were meaningless
because the products they would lead to were not going to be permitted
anyway. The "cloak" of process was used to control the creativity and
work of the group and give the illusion of participation. Control and
fear of loss of control on the part of a few served to destroy a vision,
process and product that could have had great potential for success. That
which could have been given freedom and wing died abirthing because of the
fear and insecurity of a few.
Process, by its very nature should be expansive and inclusive. It should
be "in the flow" so that the highest level of creativity can lead to the
highest product or solution. The process such as described above was
narrow, limiting and divisive. I learned that "process" can sometimes be
used to make one believe that participation is occuring when indeed only
seats are being warmed. I should add that processes such as these usually
make one want to stretch ones legs and "take a hike".
I also found that when process became a product it could not lead to
successful production. By this I mean when the process became a
regimented agenda, prescribed by a few so that control of the group and
its ideas could be obtained, the product lost significant value and
creativity. What could have been a spiraling, expanding process becomes a
linear, shrinking process. The resultant product reflects its genesis.
For process to be really effective, I believe it must proceed through a
series of stages and that the way the process looks while passing through
these stages is most likely not important. The process/product balance
and appearance will differ for different tasks. Process should be free to
follow the method that best leads to the product desired.
The first stage of any process must incorporate, on an authentic level,
the brainstorming of all involved so that the content of the task evolves
from a collective vision. This level must be able to sustain ambiquity
and remain in free form until concensus of direction is achieved. This
scaffold can then direct and support the form of the work necessary to
complete it. Review of each process-product stage must also be done.
Perhaps, as with the Universe, completion may never have a final end but
is just another point on a process-product-process-product..... string.
Suggestions for improving product through process? Work to eliminate the
human ills that limit us all. Employ,teambuilding, mediate power plays,
expose hidden agendas, and encourage individual self work so that each
team member can become consciously reflective and aware of the power of
collective opinion and its tremendous value to any product or service we
offer each other.
I enjoyed thinking about this. It is a deep subject and one that I love
learning more about. Thanks for the opportunity.
Andi Jobe
President of Stambridge Academy (a K-12 private school in San Jose)
--Forwarded to LO list by Joe Podolsky joe_podolsky@hp.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>